


When will you get tired of me?

by RainbowColoredHumanBeing



Category: Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: F/M, Hints of Jayden x Antonio, Hints of Mia x Kevin, Memily - Freeform, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26053099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowColoredHumanBeing/pseuds/RainbowColoredHumanBeing
Summary: The trajectory of the relationship between Mike and Emily during the course of Power Ranger Samurai and Super Samurai.
Relationships: Emily/Mike (Power Rangers Samurai)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12





	1. Who's afraid of the big bad bear?

**Author's Note:**

> What's up? How are you? So, friends, I watched Power Rangers Samurai and Super Samurai and I was extremely happy with the Memily couple (Mike x Emily), but at the same time, I was extremely frustrated with the minimal amount of development between them throughout the history. So I decided to correct this by writing a fanfiction. The main focus is the two, of course, but I will put little hints about Mia x Kevin and Jayden x Antonio, because ... why not, right?  
> To conclude, I will try to post weekly, but I'm already warning that I'm in the last period of college and it's not easy to find a lot of free time.  
> Well, with that I can finish the warnings. Hope you like it.

When the arrow landed, Emily was ready. Her mother had received a letter two days ago from someone named Ji and immediately packed her bags and informed the school of her departure. So, yes, she was ready to answer the call and become a samurai. But that was not enough to contain the anxiety and the butterflies in her belly. Taking the arrow in her hands, Emily ran to Serena's room.

“Serena, look. The time has come."

Serena sat on the bed and looked at the arrow in astonishment. A single tear ran down her face and she sighed heavily.

"I'm nervous. What if I fail? There's so much at stake and I feel like I'm not ready. Am I the best choice to take on the role of Yellow Ranger?”

“Emily, dear, look at me. Take a deep breath. Sit here on my side." Emily did as she was told and sat on her sister's bed. Serena took the arrow out of her hands and joined their fingers together. “You are stronger than you think. Mom has been training you for years, your control over the symbol force is impeccable and your stance with the sword is even better than hers. You're more than ready, dear. Do not ignore your qualities. I can't imagine anyone better than you to be the Yellow Ranger.”

 _Probably you_ , Emily thought, but Serena's encouraging smile made her believe that maybe that was true.

"Emily!" Her mother appeared at the door “There’s a Shiba clan motorcycle ready to take you to Panorama City. It's time, dear.”

"Right." She released a sigh and looked at her sister. "I’ll miss you."

“Me too, sis. Me too. Don't forget to write, okay? I want to know all the details of your adventure.”

“I want to know everything as well, alright? And Emily, daughter, don't forget.” Emily looked attentively at her mother “You may be a Power Ranger now, but you're still a teenager. Don't let your samurai chores take over your life.” Her mother hugged her tight "Whenever you can, go out, have fun, make new friends, fall in love-"

"Mom!"

“I'm just saying, dear. I let my responsibilities consume me and today I have several regrets. I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

Emily released herself from the embrace and looked into her mother's eyes. It’s the first time that she has seen her crying in 10 years.

“Don't worry, mom. I promise I'll remember to have fun. But now I have to go. It's a 3 hours ride to Panorama City and I can't keep the other Rangers waiting .... I love you.”

"We love you, too, Emily."

“Have a nice trip, honey. You’ll do great."

Finally saying goodbye to her family and her farm, Emily got on the bike that would take her to her new life.

* * *

It takes approximately 3 hours to travel from little Oak Town to Panorama City. Her mother usually makes the trip in 2 and a half hours. Serena, on the other hand, takes 4 hours, ‘cause she’s afraid of accelerating too much on the highway and flipping the family's yellow truck.

On the other hand, this guy on the bike finished the trip in 1 hour and a half. Half -HALF- of the time it takes for anyone who is driving within the speed limits. He stopped the bike at some corner of the city and said, “I'll leave you here. You can meet with the others by yourself, right?”

Of course not. Emily had no idea where she was. But she nodded and got off the bike. All she wanted to do was step on solid ground again. Her legs were shaking, her knees refused to support her weight. She felt nauseous, as if she was going to throw up. _Wow_ , she thought, _I’d never been at the speed of sound before. I hope I won't repeat the experience anytime soon._

She muttered a shaky 'T-thanks' to the driver and he was gone. After a few seconds of catching her breath, she stopped to think about what to do next. Emily doesn't know the city. Only the park and the market that her mother goes to monthly. What are the chances that the other Rangers would be in one of these places? _None. No way. There's nothing for me to do. All I have left is to wait for a miracle._

As if listening to her thoughts, a big black car speeds past her. Luckily Emily caugth the Shiba clan symbol on the side of the vehicle. Here's your miracle, girl. Without thinking twice she ran. Maybe she won't reach the car, but at least she won't be lost anymore. She could follow the same path and meet with the others.

Oh, who’s she trying to fool? She couldn't even blink and the car had already taken the lead in this race between them without any effort. If this keeps, she will lose sight of it in a matter of seconds. Or not. Because it looks like the car stopped. A young man in a blue sweatshirt was banging on the car’s windows until a girl in a gray cardigan stepped down from the back seat. It’s them!

Reaching the couple, Emily couldn't contain her excitement.

"Are you the Red Ranger?”

"No, I'm the Blue.”

Yeah, it makes sense. I mean, he's wearing a blue outfit. She's wearing a yellow sweater herself. The other girl must be the Gray Ranger.

"You guys must be my peeps.”

The voice came from behind her and belonged to a boy who seemed to exude confidence and a certain arrogance. By his stance, he could very well be the leader.

"You're the Red Ranger?” Blue asked the newbie.

"No, I'm Mighty Green!” And with that his stance is gone. He was still trying to show some seriousness, but his gaze was that of a child eager for their birthday party. It seemed that he wanted to say something else, but they were interrupted by the neighing of a horse. The Red Ranger has arrived.

* * *

The battle against the Moogers and the Nighlok Tooya was a success. Apart from the Zord totem they formed by accident, everyone fought very well.

"Hey, dude! You rocked! Punch it in.”

"Oh, thanks, um ... dude."

Green and Red greet each other with a fist bump and Red draws the attention of the group.

“Guys, congratulations on your first battle. You were better than I expected. If you could follow me, I will take you to the Shiba house, where you’ll live from now on.”

The group started to follow their leader. Without realizing it, Emily slowed down and increased the distance between her and the others. The adrenaline from the first fight as a Ranger had left her body and her mind went back to work.

_This is it. This will be my routine for I don’t know how long. These guys fight like professionals. Next to them I’ll look like a child trying to imitate her favorite superhero. I cannot fail. I have to try and be stronger. I promised Serena._

"Hey, are you okay?"

The hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her daydreams and she finally realized how far she was from the three boys in the group who walked ahead.

"Did you get hurt during the battle?" Pink asked. She had a maternal tone to her voice that calmed the troubled thoughts inside Emily's head.

"Oh no. I'm fine. Just sinking everything in, y’know.”

“Yeah, I get it. My name is Mia. Nice to meet you.”

“Emily. Nice to meet you too, Mia.”

“It looks like we'll be the only girls here. So, what do you think of the boys?”

What she thinks of them? Well, if she’s being honest, the first impression that Emily had is that the personality of each one of them matches their Zord animal. Red, like a lion, is a natural leader, courageous and confident. Blue appears to be as proud as a dragon, diligent, disciplined. Mia herself carries the patience, reliability and wisdom of the turtle. Now, Green ... she doesn't know how to describe Green. Like a bear, the first word that comes to mind is ‘big’. Which is ironic, since, among the boys, he’s the shortest. But, apart from his height, everything about him makes him big. He has broader shoulders, a more powerful voice, gesticulates with more intensity. He's a bear, big, wide, loud and scary.

The only one that doesn't fit with their Zord is her. Emily is shy, easily startled, afraid to leave her comfort zone. She's more like a rabbit than an ape. Serena, on the other hand ...

“I think they’re all super hot. Don’t you think so?"

Again Mia's voice brought her out of her unpleasant thoughts. But this time she ended up throwing her into uncomfortable thoughts instead.

“H-hot? Ah, w-well, I think you can say that they’re ... um ... handsome, huh." _I can feel my face flushing! I’m so embarrassed. Why, Mia? Why?_ Pink Ranger’s laughter was her only response.

"Guys, we're here."

* * *

The Shiba house is actually a mansion. Red introduced them to Mentor Ji and soon took them to a tour through the house. The garden, the room with the conference table, the kitchen, the infirmary, the dojo ...

“And lastly, in this corridor we have our rooms. The two on the left are for the girls and the two on the right are for the boys. At the end of the corridor is my room. And that's it guys, your luggage should arrive in a few hours, but if you already want to get settled, feel free to do so. I’ll wait for you in 5 minutes at the conference table. We have to make the presentations, right? Yeah, presentations.”

He mumbled the ending and left. Emily had the impression that her leader, although very skilled as a ranger, did’t do so well when it came to social interactions.

"Say." Green turned to her. “Why did you already bring a backpack? When they called me they said they were going to send a car to get my things.”

“Ah, y-yeah, I'm not from here. My suitcase won't arrive until tomorrow.”

His eyes looked like they wanted to drill a hole in her head. Emily looked anywhere but at the boy staring at her.

"Got it. Ok then, guys. See you in 5 minutes. ”

He opened the door to one of the bedrooms and went in, Mia and Blue doing the same, until Emily found the strength to move her legs and leave the corridor.

It was an innocent question, but Green scared her. He reminded her of Rick Thompson, top player on her school’s football team. Agitated, cheerful, noisy, piercing gaze.

 _Big_.

Rick was also extremely impulsive and highly volatile. Last year, during a fight with his girlfriend, he ended up punching poor Sarah Martinez in the middle of the cafeteria. He and his family moved out of Oak Town to avoid popular judgment, but no one forgets about the incident. For Emily, just one look at that scar on Sarah's face is enough to bring the memory back.

But Green is not Rick. She needs to calm down and remember that. Rick would never risk his life to be a ranger. This in itself shows that, despite the intimidating appearance, Green has a good heart. _Exactly, Emily. Now, stop being silly, control yourself and go to the conference table. You can't keep calling them by the color of their uniform._

* * *

"So ... now that we're all here, we can start with the presentations."

The five rangers were seated on the stools surrounding the rectangular wooden table that would apparently be used as a meeting place. Mentor Ji was propped up on the wall in a corner of the room watching the younger ones interact.

“I think ... it’s only fair for me to start, right? Well, my name is Jayden Shiba, I’m 19 years old and I was raised here, in the Shiba house, since I was born.”

Jayden seemed to relax, seeing that he could now pass the torch on to someone else. _He's not good at social interactions at all._

"What do you like to do in your spare time, Jayden?"

With that question from Mentor himself, tension returned to the leader's shoulders, who stammered several times until he managed to form a coherent response.

"O-o-oh, I-I like to, er, play with my Zord and watch the clouds, I guess."

"Right. Use Jayden’s answer to make your presentation, please. Next."

“Oh, my name is Kevin Baron. I'm 21 and I'm from Panorama City. When I'm not training I like to go for a run and ... swim.”

"Are you a professional swimmer, Kevin?"

"Yes. My team was one step into getting a place in the state tournament. But ... I had to leave. I’m a samurai now. As a ranger, I will defend the world and the Red Ranger with my life. No thinking about the past.”

He says that, but Emily has the feeling that she saw a little sadness in his eyes. He must love being a swimmer.

"Very well. Next."

“I'm Mike. Mike Parry. What's up."

Green -Mike- starts to introduce himself and Emily feels her heart racing. _He's not Rick. He's not Rick._

"I'm 18. I was born and raised here in Panorama City, and I like to skate and play video games.”

"Did you graduate high school yet, Mike?" When did the Mentor start to control the flow of the conversation? Jayden at least seems happy to just listen.

“My father bribed the principal to let me get through this year without having to repeat it later, which is awesome. But I'm going to miss graduation, which isn't awesome. Other than that, all’s good Mentor.”

"... Okay. Next."

"Hi. My name is Mia Watanabe, I'm 20 years old and I'm from Lakeview City, one hour away from here. It’s so close and I come here so often that I feel like I was raised in Panorama City anyway. I really enjoy cooking and, well, taking care of children.”

"Taking care of children?"

"Yep. I work- I mean, I worked at a daycare back in Lakeview. I always loved to play with the little ones. My second dream profession is to be a teacher. The first: chef.”

“Interesting, Mia. Next."

It was her turn. Take a deep breath, don't think about it too much and go, girl.

“M-m-my name is Emily. Ava. E-Emily Ava.” Breathe again, it’s gonna be fine. “I’m 17 years old, I was born and raised in Oak Town, a small town surrounded by farms that’s about 3 hours away from here and I like to play the flute and watch over the chickens.”

...

 _WATCH OVER THE CHICKENS, EMILY!?_ I know I told you not to think too much about it, but you thought too little, dear.

"Wait, you live on a farm?"

Her blood froze instantly. Mike was the one to ask. She could practically see Rick Thompson laughing scornfully at her face-

“Man, that’s so cool! I’ve never been to a farm. I’d love to though. Do you have cows and horses and all that?”

He's not Rick Thompson. Rick Thompson did not have those green eyes full of kindness, filled with an almost childlike curiosity. This is Mike Parry. Mike Parry is better than Rick Thompson.

“Yeah, we do! Uh, look, if you want, after our mission is over, you can spend some time there. You are all more than welcomed to. There is plenty of space on the farm.”

She observed everyone smiling and thanking the invitation with varying degrees of excitement.

“Nice! Look, it's a promise, okay? Pinky promise, come on.”

He held out his right hand and pointed his pinky in her direction. Was she seriously afraid of him? Okay, she could still see the big scary bear in his personality, but now it seems that what predominates in him is the teddy bear. Smiling at the thought, Emily joins their pinky together.

"I Promise."

“What about you, Emily? What’s your school situation? ”

Mentor's question popped the bubble that enveloped the group and the girl quickly pulled her hand back to her lap.

"Well ... I don't know if my mom bribed the principal, but she agreed to pass me through this year and I'll finish Senior year when I get back."

"Right. Well, rangers, now that the introductions are over, I'm going to make our dinner and I recommend that you go to sleep after eating. We will start early tomorrow with some symbol force training.”

A few hours later, lying on the bed that would be hers for the rest of her journey as a Ranger, Emily thought about Serena. _She would be the oldest in the group. I'm sure she would be loving all of this. Don't worry, Serena. I will train as hard as I can. Not only for you, but for my new friends as well._

* * *

A new day begins and Emily's determination to improve only grows. After the symbol force training, she decides that it would be better to train with the sword as well.

_But I'm still kinda sheepish about asking one of the others to train with me. I'm already the youngest, I don't want them to see me as the baby in the group. No, I can do this by myself. I won’t disturb them with my own weaknesses._

With that in mind she takes one of the shinai and leaves the house without anyone noticing. It was’t difficult. Kevin was training at the dojo, Jayden and Mentor were having a private “meeting”, Mia was tidying up her room and Mike was eating again. Nobody saw her leaving and nobody will see her coming back. _I'm going to the park. At least I know how to get there and it’s better than training at the market._

* * *

“Emily!”

She rose from her position and saw Mia, Kevin and Mike approaching. They seemed concerned. Oh no, how long has she been gone?

"You've been training all by yourself?"

"Yes! The dedication of a samurai.”

Mike rolled his eyes at Kevin's excitement and continued to eat a barbecue skewer as if to give the impression that he doesn't care about the conversation.

But he does. They all care, otherwise they wouldn't have gone out looking for her. _They have to know the truth. It’s not fair to them to hide this forever. I just hope they'll accept me here, even if I don't deserve it._

"Is not just that. I promised my big sister to work hard so that I can be as good as a fighter as the rest of you.”

"Your big sister?" the confusion in Kevin's voice was also noticeable in everyone's eyes. Justifiable as well.

"My big sister was supposed to become the Yellow Ranger, but she got sick. I had to take her place."

"Wow, that's a lot to ask of you."

"It's been tougher to see her go through her illness. And anyways, I wasn't a superstar at school-" What is she trying to do? _Am I trying to justify my insignificance? Is that it? No, I won’t make excuses._

"Don't sell yourself short.” Does Mia have a sensor that alerts her when it's time to interrupt Emily’s thoughts? She smiles at them. Suddenly she felt a little more confident.

"Oh, I do have talents. I'm really good at playing the flute, and I can definitely handle a sword. So, becoming a power ranger is a fresh start for me.” _...It’s true. I hadn't seen it from that angle yet. It's time for me to start valuing myself and this is the perfect opportunity to do so_.

"Did you hear that?” Kevin looked at Mike. Why are they picking on each other so much today? “She has the heart of a true samurai warrior.”

Emily blushed at the compliment. She wanted to say that he was exaggerating and that it was’t that big of a deal, but she didn't have the time.

"You've been training hard. You need this more then I do. Here.”

Mike held out the barbecue skewer to her.

“T-that’s not necessary, Mike. Thanks anyway. ”

"Yeah it is. Take it. I didn't see you having breakfast and you skipped lunch. A hungry samurai can't fight, learned from experience. You know you want it, it’s delicious. Take it, come on. Come. On."

How does he know she didn't have breakfast? Well, anyway, he’s not wrong. She is really hungry and it would be better not to pass out on the second day. He started to swing the skewer in front of her face and pouted.

“Okay, okay, I’ll take it! Thank you."

“Hey, no prob. We have to take care of the youngest, you know.”

_Um, it's really tasty._

"You're not even a year older than me, you dummy."

"And? I'm still older.”

“No, Emily is right. You two are the youngest.”

"Hey, come on, Kevin."

"I'm serious. In fact, Mia and I are the ones who should be taking care of you both.”

Mia laughed at the joke (and probably at the outrageous face of the two younger Rangers) and decided to join in on the fun.

"Exactly. I agree. In fact, time to go home, children. Let’s go?"

"Children!? Emily, did you hear that? Are we going to just take it?”

She swallowed the rest of the meat, threw the trash in the nearest bin and made the most determined expression she could while holding in her laughter.

"Never."

Thus began the fierce race between Emily and Mike against Mia and Kevin. Whoever arrives at the Shiba house first wins. Go!

* * *

Shame. Disappointment. Guilt. That was all she felt now. That last nighlok, Scorpionic, was strong but it wouldn't be much of a challenge for them. Jayden went to face him alone and she knew he would be victorious. The problem was when she used her Earth Slicer against some Moogers but ended up hitting the Red Ranger as well. She ran to serve as a human shield for her leader, but the others did the same and in the end everyone received the monster's attack.

It doesn't matter that they still won the battle. It doesn't matter that Jayden didn't blame her and even said that she showed strength. Not even Mia's encouraging words (“Your sister will be proud of you.” Is that so?) or the little dance Mike started at the dojo were enough to dispel those feelings. She knew that if anything had happened, it was her fault. Purposefully or not she harmed the mission.

For that reason she retired to her room after dinner and never left. She just sat on the bed and started playing her flute. The same song that Serena taught her years ago. Today Emily hopes that it will drive away some negative thoughts.

An unexpected knock on the door is enough to interrupt both thoughts and music.

“Hey Emily. I needed to talk to you. Can I come in?"

“Oh, sure Mike. The door’s open."

He closed it again after entering and sat on the end of the bed while she tried to hide her feelings behind a forced smile.

“Was it your sister who taught you to play the flute? You play very well."

"Thanks. Yeah, it was her. What about you? Who taught you how to dance? You rocked.”

“Thanks. My mother is a dance instructor. She forced me to dance with her when I was a kid and I ended up enjoying it.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over them until Mike decided to speak up again.

“How are you doing? Feeling better? I hope that dance helped, because it was the only thing that came to my mind to cheer you up.”

"Did you do that just to cheer me up?"

"Yeah. But I also wanted to show the others how much of a twinkle toes I am. Was it too weird? ”

The smile on her face was now genuine. She owes an apologie to Mike for being afraid of him when he is such a kind and good natured person.

"No, it was’t."

"That’s a relief. I just didn't want you to be torturing yourself over a mistake that had no major consequences and that, honestly, could have been made by any of us. Even more so after you showed so much courage and strength today. And I'm not talking about jumping in front of Jayden.”

He squeezed her shoulder, looked deep into her eyes and she knew. _He's talking about Serena._

“Emily, I have no idea what you're going through or what you're feeling. But I wanted to let you know that if you need someone to vent, or just talk to, you can count on me. I'm not the best at giving advice, but listening is definitely one of my strengths.”

Emily felt like she was going to cry. She thought she would continue to mull over the shame, guilt and disappointment for several more days. But just hearing those words made her feel lighter. It’s comforting to know that you’re not alone. That your friends support you and will help you at all costs. She does not need to blame herself for every minor mistake. This will only do her, and everyone around, more harm.

“Thank you very much, Mike. And I echo your words. If you need help with anything, you can count on me.”

His smile splits his face and gratitude is clear in his eyes.

“Thanks, Em. Ah, I can call you Em, right? Because, now that I've started, it's going to be kind of impossiple to stop. ”

“Hahahaha, yes, you can. It doesn’t bother me."

"Great. Does this mean that you are no longer afraid of me?”

....

"Y-you noticed?"

"Yeah, I could tell."

_Ugh! How embarassing._

“Look, I'm sorry, Mike. It was silly of me. The thing is, the first impression I had of you reminded me of a scary ex-classmate. I think I ended up projecting his image onto you. But then I realized how nice you are and figure out I was being ridiculous. I'm really sorry.”

“Don't worry about it. Some friends have already told me that I look a little intimidating. Relax. Friends?"

He raised a clenched hand, ready for a fist bump. It seems that’s his favorite way to greet others. Emily didn't hesitate before touching their fists. There was no doubt about it.

"Friends."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Second chapter has arrived! Thanks to all of you who are reading and I hope you're enjoying it. Another thing, I think you'll be able to see through this chapter, but the chapters will alternate between Mike and Emily's point of view. The last one was from Emily's perspective. This one will be from Mike's and so on. Thanks!

Ah, the sunrise. For many, one of the most beautiful sights to witness in life. Seeing the sun appearing on the horizon, brightening the sky with its light and signaling the start of a new day is enough to bring anyone to a good mood. Anyone but Mike, since, for him, the sunrise means that his alarm clock is about to take him out of the wonderful dreamland to throw him into the horrible reality of samurai training.

Every day starts like this and today could not be different. The alarm went off and Mike immediately turned it off as usual. But instead of turning over in bed and going back to sleep, this time he really woke up. He felt too restless to remain lying down, but not enough to go to training. So he just sat on his bed and decided to wait a while.

It had been 3 weeks since he and the others came to live at the Shiba house and every day has been the same. Wake up, have breakfast, start to train. Lunch, half an hour rest and another quick workout. After that they have the rest of the afternoon free, have dinner and then is bed time. Not to mention the occasional battles against a Nighlok or another.

Mike didn’t want to be the annoying complainer of the group, but… he’s tired. Exhausted. Being a Power Ranger is not easy. Well, he didn't really expect it to be, but also wasn’t expecting the extra difficulties, besides the battles.

First he had to keep away from his best friends, Matthew and Reese. Not seeing them, after 6 years of friendship, never crossed his mind. It seemed too unreal to be true. But after a attack by that Nighlok Rofer, who attacked the two just because they were close to Mike, he knew there was no other way. Now all he could do was to accept that new reality.

A few days later, Mia decided that she was going to start cooking for them. She said she liked to cook and wanted to be a chef, so he thought she was at least decent in the kitchen. He was wrong. The first victim was Kevin, when the two of them were on the lookout at that baseball kid’s house and Mia decided to prepare the incredible recipe for Cremated Chicken for him. But, to be fair to everyone, she repeated her crime the next day. She also said that she was going to prepare several other “wonderful” dishes for them.

If the food poisoning wasn't enough to make him sick, he still had to listen to Kevin talk for hours about Mia's hair. ( _'She slept on my shoulder, man. Her hair smells so nice. It almost made me forget the taste of charcoal in my mouth. Smells like vanilla.'_

_‘You’re already liking her, Kevin?’_

_'I am. In the same way that I’m liking you, Jayden, Emily...’_

_'Ah, that so? So feel free to smell their hair, but stay away from mine.’_ )

And now boredom arises. Not being able to see his friends means that the arcade is out of the question. He still has his skateboard, but video games are essential in his life. _Too bad I left my portable console at home. Would my father send it here? It's worth a shot._

Picking up his cell phone on the nightstand, he typed:

_ 'Hey dad, what’s up? Say, could you send my portable console over? There’s no TV here.’ _

He did not expect an immediate response, but apparently his father was already awake.

'Hi Mike. Leave it to me. I’ll send it over today, without fail.’

_ 'Nice. Thanks, pops.’ _

'How’s the samurai experience, son? Are you training properly? Giving a lot of trouble to the others?’

Of course his father was going to start with this discussion. Mike didn't want to tell him about his recent failures with the team. That he put his friends at risk, that he’s the most unprepared of the group, that he only managed to make a symbol correctly two days ago and that, even though he had thought of a good plan to defeat Rofer, if it weren't for Jayden he would have failed. _I have to change the subject._

_ 'Everything’s going great, old man. How bout you, boozing up?’ _

'I wish, but your mother found my drink stock of and threw it all away.'

_ 'It's better this way, right dad? Your liver should already be looking like a rag. Are you going to the therapist?’ _

'I am. Stop worrying about me. I’m the father here. And don't think I didn't notice that you changed the subject. I want you to tell me everything later, okay?'

_ 'Right. Right. Hey dad, I should be going now. It's time for morning training. See ya.' _

‘See ya. Go on, sonny. Don't let your team down, alright? XOXO.'

_Don't let your team down_ ... Mike has no intention of letting anyone down. But, as it is, that will end up happening. He needs to try harder, train more ... listen more. _I'll do it. I'll show my dad that he doesn't have to worry about me._

He looked at his watch. 5:45. _Maybe tomorrow. Today I'm going shredding._

* * *

“Ah, Mike. Finally woke up?”

_Damn it!_

He hid the skateboard behind his back but Mentor would definitely notice the helmet that was already set on his head. After all the care he took to be quiet and walk out the back door ... Finding Mentor in the garden is horrible bad luck.

“H-hi, Mentor. Yeah, yeah. Today is such a beautiful day that I decided to see the flowers before training. Haha. They’re so pretty!”

"Right. Could you give a message to the others for me? I've talked to Jayden but I haven't had a chance to talk to them yet.”

“Sure, sure. Everything for our favorite Mentor.”

He didn't seem amused by the compliments and excuses that Mike's brain created in a desperate attempt to not be punished for trying to escape training.

“... Tell them that today you will have the day off. You’ve been working hard these weeks and deserve a break. ”

_... Did I hear that right or am I delirious?_

"Is that for real, Mentor?"

"Yes. You can’t continue to fight efficiently if you’re feeling tired and overwhelmed. Rest is essential for success. Now, go on. Today I will have my own rest and take care of my garden.”

“Thanks, Mentor Ji! You’re awesome, dude sir!”

He ran to find the others without even waiting for an answer. It's unbelievable. It seems that some magical force in the universe heard his request and made it a reality. Kevin, Mia and Emily were training at the dojo when he came in to tell the news. They were just as excited as he was. It seems that everyone was feeling tired.

"What to do?” Mia began “I could shop for shoes that aren't designed for fighting monsters, or catch a flick.”

"But it's such a beautiful day! It'd be a shame to stay cooped up inside.”

He agrees with Emily about that. He may have said that to mislead Mentor, but the day really is beautiful. Maybe it's because of his forest powers, but Mike has always loved the outdoors. In his conversations with the Yellow Ranger, the two quickly identified that they had this in common. They loved the warmth of the sun touching their skin, the scent of freshly cut grass, the wind messing up their hair...

Soon an idea came to him.

"Em, I can teach you how to shred.”

It would be wonderful! He already enjoys her company a lot. And doing one of his favorite hobbies with her ... Emily's expression however indicated that she didn't think the same.

"Well, I was thinking Rainbow's End.” _Aww. Okay. I'll convince her later. After all, an amusement park sounds pretty good too._ “I've never been on a rollercoaster before.”

"What? Never?”

She looked at him a little embarrassed to have admitted it.

"They don't have amusement parks where I'm from.”

The shredding can wait. This girl needs to be introduced to the wonders of a amusement park urgently.

"Then it's settled.”

"Rainbow's End, here we come!”

* * *

Of course. But of COURSE, on their first day off, a Nighlok shows up to ruin everything. They didn't get a chance to do anything at the park. Just watched some jugglers and had a snack when that Dradhead guy showed up. _A nighlok that cannot be touched. How wonderful. Not even to be a normal monster for us to defeat soon and return to the park._

In the end, Jayden managed to defeat him using the power of the Beetle Disc and Mentor let them have the next day off as well, to make up for the last one. _... Jayden is really amazing. Mentor said that it takes twice as much symbol force to tame the Beetle Disc and he did it in one day._

Mike didn't want to admit it, but he was a little jealous of the Red Ranger. He was everything that Green wanted to be but couldn't. Serious, dedicated, skillful. The latter he managed with training, of course, but it seems that, no matter how much Mike trains, Jayden is always 3 steps ahead of him. _But that doesn’t mean that I’ll give up. I can be very stubborn when I want to. Wait for it, Jayden. One day I will surpass you._

"I'm so glad that Mentor gave us another day off.”

Mia's words took him out of his thoughts. They decided to go back to the amusement park, to really enjoy it this time, and Jayden choose to accompany them. He seemed more relaxed and as soon as they arrived he said he was going to buy cotton candy for everyone. Emily volunteered to help, keeping Mike, Kevin and Mia waiting.

"It's only fair, since our last one involved scrapping with a nighlok.” _It’s better to leave those thoughts of rivalry for later. Now we're here to have fun and that's what I'm going to do!_

"Well, if mentor felt it was alright, I guess I shouldn't argue.”

"Who's gonna argue-” Emily ran back towards them, pushing one of the clouds of pink sugar in his face and giving the other one to Kevin “-with cotton candy?”

Mike couldn't help but smile. She seemed more excited than yesterday. Probably because this time they were all together. Her joy was contagious.

"This really isn't in line with my training diet.”

Of course, Kevin had to be the ass of the group. He rolled his eyes at his friend, but before he could say anything, his leader was faster.

"That's true, but it's okay. Cotton candy or a day off from training can be good for you. Ji reminded me that keeping balance in life is important. It lets us be at our best.”

Jayden looked like someone else at that moment. He tried to show seriousness, but he couldn't hide that he was just as excited as Emily to be there. He was raised by Mentor. He probably trained day and night with few free days to have fun. Compared to the half-hour daily workout Mike had with his father, it was no surprise that they were so different from one another. Jayden is just a teenager who was raised as an adult. It was actually unfair to compare himself to him. _I'll still beat you, friend. But ... I promise to take it easy on ya._

Showing a smile on his face, Mike puts his arm around Kevin's shoulders and starts pulling the Blue Ranger who is still trying to understand how to eat a cotton candy.

"Come on, you stick-in-the-mud. The rides are this way.”

"Gosh, my first rollercoaster!”

Emily pulled Mia just like Mike was pulling Kevin and Jayden laughed at them a little behind.

“But do you already want to go straight to the roller coaster? Isn't it better to start with a more peaceful one and then go to the faster toys?”

“No, no, Jayden. We have to start with the most radical ones while we still have the energy to stand in line. Then we go to the lackluster toys that have smaller lines.”

“Hahaha, okay, okay. Let's do it, then.”

* * *

The afternoon passed very quickly in the Rangers opinion. From the roller coaster they went to the spinner, then to the pirate ship, merry-go-round and the bumper cars, where the five of them made a bet of who would hit the others more often, turning the toy track into a private battle arena. In the end they were laughing too hard to be able to name a winner.

After the sunset, Jayden, Kevin and Mia decided to take a break to eat while Mike and Emily wanted to go on the roller coaster one last time. Then they parted ways, promising to meet at the ferris wheel in half an hour.

"That was so much fun!"

The two had been lucky to not have a queue at the toy, so they thought it best to take a look at the game booths before meeting the others.

"It realy was! Did you see what you were missing?”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I love my farm, but sometimes I feel like moving to the city just to be able to live that kind of thing everyday.”

"And would you move if the opportunity came?"

She seemed to consider the question for a few seconds before answering.

"No. There is certainly more to do here and it is a beautiful city, don't get me wrong, but nothing beats the freedom I feel in the countryside. Waking up to birds singing, sitting on the grass and watching the animals, playing my flute while the wind hits my face ... I can't get away from nature. You understand me, right? You said you also likes the outdoors.”

“Yes, I understand. In fact, you reminded me of something. Yesterday I offered to teach you how to skate, but I saw that you weren't too excited about the idea. I still insist, though. I think you would love it. It’s very fun."

She smiled at him, but the expression was a little sad. _Oh no. No no no no._

“I'm sure I would like it, Mike. You know, when I was little I loved going to the city playground to rollerblade. It was really fun. But then, one day ... well, I had to stop. I think your question just reminded me of that and I ended up feeling a little wistful. Sorry."

"Why did you stop? Didn't you love it?” _Shut up, you asshole. You saw that she got sad. Do you want to make the situation worse?_ “Ah. Look, Emily, I'm sorry. No need to answer if-“

"It's okay. It was just a ... school bully who saw me one day and thought it was going to be super funny to break my skates and make me cry. But it's time to forget about it and move on. It’s been so long, I think it will be good to relearn how to rollerblade. Or-“ she nudged his arm lightly with her elbow “try to learn how to shred. I’m counting on you."

The smile on her face was now genuine and he couldn't help but return it. Even though the guilt of making a girl as happy as Emily that sad still consumed him.

"Leave it to me. Punch it in.”

She completed the fistbump by the time he found the perfect way to apologize.

"Em, what if I get you a teddy bear at that thing?"

He pointed at the claw machine, and was already walking towards it, when the Yellow Ranger held his arm to stop him.

“I would be very grateful, Mike, but I don't think it’s a good idea. There's one of these at the bus station in Oak Town and I've seen a lot of people lose all their money on it. They’re very rigged. It’s almost impossible to win.”

He knows. This only makes him even more eager to get that teddy. _Hopefully my experience with a joystick and my stubbornness will help me in this fight_.

“No worries. I want to win the teddy for you and I will win the teddy for you.”

...

Ten attempts later (and almost all the money in his wallet), Mike finally gave up. Emily was right, this is the most rigged toy in the park. The claw always starts to rise before closing on the toy, so it never picks up anything. He looked into the eyes of the plushies that judged him for his failure. 'You loser. You made the girl sad and didn't even get her a toy? How do you want to overcome Jayden? How are you going to be able to look Emily in the eye now?’

He closed his eyes and pushed the toys criticism away. He’ll be able to look her in the eye, after all, he needs to apologize. _Only ... not now._

"What’s with the long face?"

"Aaah!"

He’s not ashamed of getting scared. But also, who wouldn't be frightened by a little stuffed monkey apparently floating and talking by itself? Emily's laugh at least made the scare worth it.

“Hahahahah, sorry, Mike, sorry. I couldn't help it.”

"Ha ha ha, very funny. Where did you get that monkey?”

"I won it for you at the shooting booth!" she held the toy out to him "So it can remind you of me."

Her smile faded immediately and her cheeks flushed, realizing the message that could have been passed on with that sentence. Mike would’ve laughed if he hadn't been as red as she was.

“I-I-I mean, uh, remind you that you didn't get me a teddy. Whenever you look at this monkey, remember the claw.”

"Heh, t-thanks." He took the plushie from the girl's hands, who was doing her best to avoid eye contact with him. _She's still embarrassed. Well, same could be said about me. I have to do something to undo this weird mood_. “Uh .... Ah! So, since he’s supposed to remind me of my fiasco on that hellish machine, I’ll do better. Starting today ... Frederic Swift Paws will be proof of my promise to you. I, Michael Parry, promise to, one day, win a toy on the claw machine for you, Emily Ava.”

He positioned the monkey's paw on it’s chest and imitated the pose with his own hand. Luckily his exaggerated drama and silly name had the desired effect and the girl in front of him was already laughing again.

"All right then! Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

"I'll be waiting. But I think we better meet with the others now. The park should be closing shortly.”

"Okay."

"Where did you get that name from?"

"Which name? Frederic Swift Paws? Have you never heard of this sport legend?”

"No. Never. In fact, I'm pretty sure you made up that silly name just for fun.”

"I am extremely offended by your viewing of me, miss."

As they walked and played with each other, Mike couldn't help thinking that the day had been extremely pleasant. Even the unfortunate experience with the machine has generated good memories. The stuffed monkey weighed in his hands and he smiled. _It's a promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guys, I don't know if I'll be able to post the third chapter next Saturday. I've been a little busy, but I'll do my best. See ya!


	3. No monster can beat my low self-esteem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know I said I would post one chapter a week. And it's been 3 months since I last posted. But I was very busy with my term paper for college, internships and I've been a little unmotivated to write too, so I couldn't keep my promise. I wanted to say that I will not have a fixed posting schedule. As soon as a chapter is ready I'll post it. But that means it can take weeks or months for updates. I'm not happy with that, but it's the way it's gonna be. Because, of course, I will not abandon the fic. Thank you for your patience and attention.

The days passed in relative tranquility after their visit to the amusement park. The Rangers' training routine was resumed and there were no attacks from Nighloks to threaten the citizens of Panorama City.

After a month and a half in this new life, Emily was already more than used to the environment and the people with whom she now lives.

Mentor is quiet and doesn’t interact much with them, but it’s noticeable that he cares for everyone nonetheless. _In a way, he reminds me of dad._

Kevin also prefers to keep it to himself, training or reading, but occasionally he gets carried away by the group's jokes and manages to be really fun when he isn't taking things so seriously.

Jayden is ... an inspiration to her. It took a while, but after he opened up to new friendships, he became more than a samurai leader. She never imagined what it would be like to have an older brother, but she thinks it would be something like the relationship between them.

Mia has certainly taken on the place of best friend in her heart. As the only girls on the team they soon got close and Emily couldn't be happier about it. Apart from Serena, she had never had friends before, let alone a best friend. The sudden change in reality was a little strange, but certainly welcome.

And then there's Mike. After the fear she felt for him passed and the two got along, they became good friends. She didn't see him as a brother like Jayden, but she was certainly closer to him than to Kevin, feeling like she could confide anything with him, just like she did with Mia. Their friendship was light and uncomplicated.

Even after what she said in the park. _'So it can remind you of me.' Frankly, Emily, what’s wrong with you?_

She’d had no second intention with that sentence, and Mike didn't seem to care either, but the jump her heart gave at the moment couldn't be ignored. Nor could the jitters in her belly and her flushing cheeks either.

After that awkward interaction things got back to normal between them, but every now and then, during a conversation, training, or even getting ready to sleep, she remembers what she felt at that time and the slightest mention of the Green Ranger brings everything back. Which is bad at the moment, since in today's sword fighting training they were pitted against each other.

Emily used part of her energy to fight and the other part to keep herself from getting distracted by her thoughts. _Stop it. It was just a slip up, something you said without thinking and now you're having a completely disproportionate reaction to it. On top of that about Mike. Your friend, Mike. It is not right to think these things about him._ The two used the shinai to block each other and approached, trying to exercise dominance in the battle using physical strength. From the distance they were right now she could clearly see ... how beautiful his green eyes are.

_Ah, enough!_ Driven by sheer frustration, Emily was strong enough to push Mike and began to strike blow after blow. She didn't even think about what she was doing, until one of her attacks left him unbalanced, causing the boy to fall on his back on the stone garden floor.

"Oh no! Are you okay?"

A grunt of pain was her only response and she quickly helped her friend to his feet. _I’m an idiot. I ended up hurting him because of this nonsense. Now he will be mad at me._

"Did you hurt yourself? Let me see.”

As she came over to examine his back, he pulled away from her hands.

"No, thanks. I'm fine.”

When she insisted, he started running. But she wasn't going to leave it at that. It was her fault, when she let her emotions take control during training. She will help him, whether he wants it or not. So she ran after him.

* * *

As soon as they entered the house, Mike sat with his hand on his back and avoided directing his attention to the girl. He looked angry, staring at the floor with a frown and clenching one fist. The sight made Emily stop and consider her next action. The desperation to lose his friendship took over her body and her mind started looking for a way to resolve the situation. _He's not letting me see where he got hurt, so what can I do?_

She vaguely noticed that Mia and Kevin had joined them when an idea came up. _Ah! I got it!_ Running to the kitchen, she placed two packages of frozen peas on a plate and returned to the conference table. _I hope I can do it like Serena used to._

Placing the plate on the floor, she handed one of the packages to the Green Ranger with a hopeful smile.

"Here you go.”

He looked at the item in her hands without understanding and even seemed a little scared.

"Frozen peas?”

"It's like an ice pack. I was accident-prone as a kid and it always healed me right up.” His guard dropped for a moment and she took that as a concession. “Let me-“

"No, thanks.”

He stood up and started to walk away from her again.

"You really should.” _Why won't he let me help? Did I piss him off that much?_ “Mike! Come on. It'll make you feel better!”

Before she could process what was going on, her foot hit the plate with one of the improvised compresses on the floor, gravity did what it does best, and in a matter of seconds Emily was lying face down in a bag of frozen peas.

"Emily, are you okay?”

She lifted her head and spat out some of the peas that ended up in her mouth. Looking around she could see the mess she caused. The small green beans practically covered the floor of the room. She managed to rip both packages at once. _Yep ... that's definitly not how Serena used to do._

"They're everywhere. I'm such a disaster.”

"No, you're not. You were doing a nice thing.”

Mia was at her side and wiped her face, probably covered with peas. Mike approached them looking like he wanted to laugh but knew it was wrong. _If I were in his shoes I would laugh. I must look ridiculous._

"I'm so sorry.” He said and she was already expecting it. But she wasn't going to let him blame himself for something that was her responsibility.

"No, it was all my fault. I was being silly.” Not only running after him, but thinking those things about him was also silly of her. She won't let it happen again. She’ll control the butterflies in her stomach. “I'm always messing things up. I'm sorry. I'll clean it up.”

But it seems like the universe did not want her to do anything right at that moment, since, as soon as Emily put her foot on the ground to get up, she slipped again and spread the peas even more around the room.

“Ah! Not again.”

Will she ever stop embarrassing herself in front of the others? That way they would never take her seriously. Kevin and Mia smiled as if trying to tell her to not mind it. But it was not going to be easy to let it go and forget. Not when Mike seemed so disappointed in her. The look froze her blood and for the first time after they became friends, Emily was afraid of the Green Ranger. But she wasn't afraid of him per se this time. She was afraid of losing his friendship.

* * *

In the end, the three ended up throwing her out of the room to clean herself up. Having done this quickly in the bathroom, Emily felt a discomfort in her throat, probably from accidentally swallowing some peas, which is why she was currently in the kitchen. As she filled a glass with water, her thoughts flowed around Serena. It had been a while since she had questioned her ability to be a Ranger, but, after today, the reality that her sister would be the best option for the team hit her hard.

_I'm too clumsy for this. I never had the agility and lightness that I always saw in Serena when she trained with mom. No matter how "good" I am at fighting, I will eventually end up hurting myself or hurting others unintentionally. Just like I did with Jayden that time. Just like I did with Mike today._

A sigh escaped her lips as she thought of the Green Ranger and remembered the reason for all the confusion of the day. She put some water in her mouth and unconsciously started to gargle. _Another thing I lack in addition to grace is maturity. All of this happened just because I can't control my nervousness around him after accidentally flirting. The first handsome guy who treats you well and you act like that, Emily? Goodness gracious. If you continue like this, imagine if he ever hugs you-_

"You okay?”

The unexpected questioning startled her and she spat (unintentionally) the water in the face of the person who interrupted her internal monologue, none other than Mike himself. Her eyes widened and she felt paralyzed with embarrassment, watching the drops run down her friend's face, who seemed to be feeling a mixture of irritation and an urge to laugh at the same time.

"Oh no!” The state of immobility soon dissipated and she turned to get a cloth from the counter that she could use to clean him. “I'm always making a mess.”

Mike suddenly took the cloth out of her hands while she was busy trying to dry the water (and saliva too. Eww!) to do the job himself. _Now he must be even more angry with me. Why am I so stupid? I can't even maintain a friendship for more than a month?_

A huge wave of anxiety washed over Emily and she looked desperately for a way to turn the situation around. Her eyes landed on the cleaning supplies in the Green Ranger's hand and she suddenly remembered all the peas she had spread on the floor.

“I'll sweep. It was all my fault.”

He took the materials out of her reach and offered her a small smile that, despite not containing the usual energy, was sincere enough to calm her troubled feelings and she felt as if she could breathe again. _Maybe he’s not that mad._

"You don't always have to apologize for everything. Everyone pitched in and cleaned up. Besides, you were just trying to help.”

Emily smiled back, a little relieved and, looking into her friend's green eyes ( _His eyes are so pretty_ ... _STOP_!), decided to vent with him.

With a sigh, she started "I just make everything worse. I wish I was more like Mia.” They leaned against the kitchen counter and she smiled at the thought. On the one hand it was true. “She's beautiful, she's graceful, she's smart. She can cook.”

"Yeah, I'm not too sure about the cooking part.”

"But-“ Mike's joke went unnoticed by the blonde. Otherwise she probably would have laughed and agreed. “-every time I try to do something nice or good, I just turn it into a big mess. I can't do anything right. I'm hopeless.”

"Emily, I'm being serious.” The gravity in his tone made her look up and fix her eyes on him again. When did she even started looking at the floor? “It's not good to talk about yourself like that. Give yourself a break.”

_Ha! Funny. Give myself a break, sure._ Even if Mike's intentions were the best, trying to cheer her up, Emily knows the truth. She is not very demanding on herself, quite the contrary. It is because she is so relaxed that the mistakes she is making happen. Anyways, she smiles at him in thanks. He doesn't have to worry about that. Perhaps she should say something more to assure him that she feels better, but the Gap sensor sounded at the right time and she couldn't be more grateful for the interruption.

Negatron. This is the name of the new Nighlok that appeared to terrorize the city and create confusion. A vile creature capable of turning insults into physical attacks, which immobilized four of the five Power Rangers. Emily sighed deeply. They were back at Shiba house after the battle, sitting around the conference table and discussing what had happened.

That ugly creep managed to knock Mike off saying that he used training wheels on his bike until he was 10, calling Kevin boring, hitting Mia in the face with the fact tha she’s a lousy cook and stating that Jayden hides a secret. But when he tried to use his insults against Emily, nothing happened. Nothing that the others could see, at least. Because every word he said, every 'klutz', 'airhead', 'clumsy fool', 'whiner', resulted in a shock wave all over her body. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But she was already used to dealing with insults and managed to turn the attacks into determination to keep fighting.

The others tried to console themselves about their insecurities and seek support from each other. They didn't have to worry about these nonsense. Each of them were better than these supposed weaknesses, and surely they would be able to get through this obstacle without problems, Emily had no doubts. The question here was whether she could handle another attack or not.

"Emily was the only one who wasn't affected.” The mention of her name brought her back to reality and she turned towards Mike waiting for him to continue. “That nighlok knew exactly how to hurt us but why couldn't he hurt her?”

"Perhaps Emily has some special power.”

Mentor's absurd suggestion was enough to dispel any fears that remained to tell the others about her “wonderful” experience in elementary and high school, and she couldn't contain a snicker from the irony. _Yeah, great. My special power is being a bullying v_ _ictim._

"It's nothing great like that. I was teased and called names as a kid. It made me sad. But my sister told me to just pretend like the person teasing me didn't say anything at all, and it really worked. So when the nighlok said those things to me, it was like he didn't even say them.”

She watched her friends' expressions. All with a mixture of pity and sympathy, that she was expecting and wished she could have avoided. They’re all very good people and really care about her, but they shouldn't concern themselves about something so insignificant. It’s the past. She has already overcome it and forgotten it.

"Then why are you always putting yourself down? It makes no sense, unless that's what you really think about yourself.”

Mike stared at her intently, his features twitching in irritation and his words weighed on Emily's back.

"Well, no, but...” But then why did she think what was said was true? Why did her childhood offenses hit her so hard and now she could ignore them? Was it because she believes those words really define her?

Kevin scolded Mike but she was no longer aware of her surroundings, lost in the questions that arose and in the boy’s almost angry look. She wanted to get out of there. Now.

"I'm sorry... I...” _Just get out. Get out, get out, get out_. Then she ran.

* * *

Emily was in the garden, playing on the flute that same melody that Serena had taught her and that always soothed her. She thought about everything she has ever lived, felt and did up to that moment, all the decisions she made, consciously or not, and that shaped her into the person she is today.

She doesn't know when it started. Maybe it was in fifth grade, after Mary Elisabeth and her friends realized that it was really fun to pull her hair and humiliate her in the most creative ways possible and Serena comforted her for the first time, with the flute and mantra that she kept repeating whenever she was harassed at school.

Yes, that was the moment Emily decided she would be like her older sister one day and started to use her as an example in everything she did. But reality made itself present soon. She would never be like Serena. She lacked too many attributes for that. So she used the insults as an excuse for not being good enough. Mike was partially right. She doesn't think these things about herself, but uses them to justify her incompetence at being like her sister, who needed her more than anything after her illness. On the one hand, this is even worse.

The sound of footsteps made her stop and she turned, already knowing who she would see.

"Hey, Emily. Listen... I said too much back there and that wasn't cool. And I'm sorry.”

"It's okay. You're right.” He looked confused and she decided to explain, or vent, or whatever. Honestly, she just wanted to get some things out of her chest. “Y'know, I used to cry all the time. I wasn't good at school. I couldn't do anything right. I was picked on all the time. When Serena would play her flute, it made me feel better. When I heard it, I immediately forgot about being sad. But then she got sick. When it was time for me to take her place as a Samurai Ranger, she was the one who was crying. That's when I told myself, 'you can't cry'. I needed to be strong for my sister's sake. I guess trying to fill my sister's shoes has brought back some of my insecurities. How can I expect others to stop putting me down if I don't do it myself? ... I'm sorry.”

_I talked too much, didn't I? And yet I didn't say everything I wanted. I really am a lost cause ... and I ended up belittling myself again. Dammit._

"Emily, stop being sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about. It's my fault. Here I am, trying to be stronger than Jayden, then I lose to you. You keep calling yourself insecure, so what does that make me?” Mike was opening up to her for the first time, saying things that made her curious. She had no idea that her friend felt that way. He was so confident that the idea that he might have any kind of insecurity didn't even cross her mind. Without realizing it, she started to approach him. She wanted to know more. He seemed to want to say something more, or perhaps elaborate better what’d said before, but in the end all that came out was... “It was jerky when I was so hard on you.”

She smiled. She knew he wanted to say something else. She wanted it too. He returned the smile. They continued like that, just smiling at each other, until Mike's cell phone rang. He just listened for a few seconds before hanging up and Emily already knew what it was. But before they left, she had to say just one more thing.

“Uh-oh. Nighlok alert.”

He started to leave and she quickly took his arm.

"You're not afraid to be yourself. I admire that. And you'll get stronger with the sword. I know it.”

Mike's smile widened even more and she knew that she managed to help, at least a little, to undo the uncertainties inside him.

"Thanks, Em.”

With that they went to the battle against Negatron. The chest pain that Emily felt from the last interaction between them served as a constant reminder that she couldn't fail now. She didn't know what was going to happen if she failed.

* * *

Everything was dark. There was no sign of life around her. There was nothing but darkness. How did she get there? What is this place? Trying to understand what happened, Emily remembered the fight against the Nighlok.

Everything was going well. Negatron focused all his insults on her who resisted with all her strength. _Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me._ The mantra taught by Serena years ago was repeated in her mind, helping to keep going, despite all the pain she felt. Emily was sure she could handle anything that the monster throw against her, until the moment he launched his worst attack yet:

"Silly girl, you'll never be as good as your sister.”

It was like being stabbed right in the heart. A pain so intense that she was sure she would pass out instantly. But she wasn't going to give up like that. She would only fall after the enemy fell.

_Sticks and stones. Sticks and stones. Sticks and stones._

Her body did not respond. She begged for her legs, her arms, her hands, anything to move but nothing happened. She was paralyzed with tiredness, or maybe pain. Only after Mike appeared to help her did her muscles return to obey the commands they received and, together, Green and Yellow Rangers defeated the Nighlok.

Everything was fine. Until after the battle with the zords, when Negatron exploded one last time and Emily's strength was gone. She doesn't remember anything, only to finally feel relief while losing consciousness.

_I get it now. I fainted._ Around her she began to hear murmurs and could feel her body swaying slightly. Without a doubt, the others were taking her home and someone was carrying her on their back. As her body woke up, the voices became clearer.

"Emily said she was fine, but I guess the nighlok's words hurt her after all.”

It was Mia talking. It looked like she was close, walking a little behind Emily and her carrier.

"She hid it well. Everyone has something that they don't want to hear.”

Jayden's voice came from the same direction as Mia’s and was followed by a moment of silence. None of them wanted to comment on the matter, but everyone was curious about the supposed secret their leader was hiding. Maybe one day he’ll feel comfortable enough to share it with his friends, but for now, it is better to let it go.

"She was incredible!” Mike broke the silence. His voice sounded close. **Very** close. Almost in her ear and Emily found out on whose back she was lying “The way she fought off that nighlok rocked. Girl's got guts.”

"Her sister would be proud.”

She couldn't help the smile that graced her face with this. Even the flushed cheeks and butterflies in the stomach were welcomed at the moment. Serena would be proud, but the most important thing is that Emily was proud of herself. _I don't even know when was the last time that happened. It feels really good_. Almost unconsciously she snuggle in Mike's shoulder a little more and felt her friend adjust her better in the new position.

“That's a sound I can never forget. Ice cream trucks are my favorite.”

"Did someone say ice cream?”

"You're awake?”

In her defense she was already thinking of showing them that she had woken up a while ago. Mia mentioning ice cream was just an extra incentive. She laughed at Mike who seemed amused at the situation and made a move to get off his back. He, on the other hand, just held her legs tighter and, as soon as Kevin shouted "We got to catch up with that truck!” he took off running, like the others, towards the ice cream truck.

She felt like a child again, riding piggyback on someone's back, laughing, while running for ice cream.

“Sir! Sir! You can't leave yet! ” Kevin was the first to reach the truck, which was already leaving. He looked very excited. Did he really like ice cream that much? “Thanks. I want a vanilla cone. What do you want? Mia? Jayden? ”

"Chocolate."

"Strawberry. If you're paying, Kevin, it could be two cones.”

“Ha ha ha, very funny Jayden. I thought Mike was the clown here. And what about you two? What do you want? How long are you going to carry her, Mike? ”

Emily just laughed from her place and replied that she wanted chocolate too. Mike turned to Kevin.

“I want chocolate mint. And you know what, Kevin? I bet you that I can carry her all the way to the Shiba house without stopping. If I win, you pay for my ice cream. If I lose, I'll pay for yours. So, deal?”

The Blue Ranger seemed to consider the offer, looking at the two as if wondering if his friend was capable of that, thinking about the trajectory to the house, how heavy the girl must be...

"Fine. I'm in."

"Great! I hope you don't mind me using you to get free ice cream, Em. I promise to give you some after I win.”

“I don't mind it, Mike. I just want to know how you're going to eat it while you're busy carrying me.”

"Simple. Just give it to me in my mouth. Aaaaaa... ”

If it wasn’t for the ridiculous face he made, Emily was sure she would pass out again in embarrassment. But she managed to contain the familiar butterflies in her belly and just laugh, slaping his shoulder lightly.

"You are so silly."

"I know. It's my charm ... Hey, I wanted to talk to you tonight, after dinner, is that okay? I don't think I said everything I wanted earlier.”

The sudden change in the mood of the conversation made her a little tense, but curiosity spoke louder than nervousness.

"Of course. I also need to clarify some things, I think.”

"Great. Could it be in your room?”

"Sure, sure. I’ll wait for you, then."

* * *

There was absolute silence in the blonde's room. Emily was sitting on the bed cross-legged looking at Mike, sitting on the floor on the other side of the room. He had asked for a few minutes to organize his thoughts and be able to say everything he wanted, but after almost five minutes without saying anything, the tension started to be too much for her.

"So... Congratulations on your win on that bet against Kevin."

"Oh thanks. It was easy. You are light as a feather and we weren't that far away.” His expression quickly became serious and he looked her in the eye “Look, earlier today I implied that I had been mad ‘cause I lost to you. And, okay, I was angry that I lost, but it wasn't because I lost to you. Losing to you on the sword is a privilege, to be honest. You rock. I should have been happy to be able to handle you for more than five minutes of fighting.”

“Thanks. Don't worry, I understood what you meant.” A detail from the conversation from earlier came to mind and she decided to ask him about that “Why are you trying to be stronger than Jayden? If you don't want to tell me, that’s all right, I was just curious.”

"No, no. I want to tell you. It's just... ”He lowered his head and seemed hesitant to look her in the eye again “... difficult to admit the reason out loud. You’ll think I’m a loser.”

“Hey, I'm never going to think that about you. I swear."

He smiled but still avoided looking in her direction, was silent for a few more seconds until... ”Can you play your flute for me? It will help. Please."

Even though she was a little confused by the unexpected request, Emily took the flute from her drawer and started playing that same melody that soothed her nerves. Mike closed his eyes.

“I think I want to beat Jayden, be better than him, to prove that I can be a Ranger. Prove it to myself, yes, but mainly to prove it to my parents. They never trusted me. With nothing. My father started training me as a samurai when I was 10 years old. We spent half an hour in training until he decided it was enough and took me to play video games, or to eat pizza, or to go to a party with one of his friends. And we always trained only attack and defense. He just taught me the basic symbols. He certainly thought I wasn't going to need others. My mom was no better. She started teaching me how to dance at 6 years old. At first I thought it was just to have my company during classes, but after a while I realized that she was trying to make me more agile. She didn't trust me or my father. You had to see the look on their faces when Mentor’s letter came to warn me to get ready. They said 'You’ll do great, Mike', 'Don’t give the others trouble, Mike', but the expression of fear they made... It was clear that they wanted to say 'Try not to die, Mike', 'Don’t disturb the other Rangers, Mike'. They didn't believe I could do it. So I feel that, if I can beat Jayden, our leader, I can make them believe, you know?”

Emily listened to everything from her place on the bed, playing the flute all the time as she was asked. But she got up and crouched beside her friend the second she realized he had started to cry, wrapping him in a hug. The position was a little uncomfortable but neither of them cared at that moment.

"I-I just want, once, to see that they are p-proud of m-me..."

“I understand, Mike. I get it."

They stayed that way for several minutes, only the sound of the boy's crying filling the room's silence. When he calmed down, he broke the hug and looked her in the eye, a genuine smile on his face.

"Thank you for listening to me. I needed to vent. Too bad you had to see that pathetic side of me, heh.”

“It’s not pathetic. I’m pathetic. I couldn't explain it to you earlier, but I found out why I keep putting myself down. I promised Serena that I would be strong, but for me, to be strong is to be her. So I tried to do everything she did. But, to no one's surprise, I'm not my sister. So I started using the insults they used against me at school to justify my failures. And I know that I don't have to be her, but it's hard to get out of her shadow.”

She felt his hand rest on her head and stroke her hair carefully.

“You are not pathetic, Emily. You’re the most amazing person I've ever met. I'm sure your sister is cool, but I bet my life that you're way cooler.”

“Ha ha, I'm going to tell her that you said that. And you, Mr. Mike Parry, can do whatever you want. And if your parents don't believe that, I do.”

They smiled at each other. Emily hoped her words had helped him as much as his helped her. Because after that conversation, she felt ready to try to be herself.

“Oh, one more thing. I have to apologize to you for today.”

"Ah Emily, I told you to stop being-"

“Being sorry for everything. I know. But, I pissed you off today, there's no use denying it, with all that history of hurting you, and the peas, and insisting on seeing where you got hurt, wich I still don't understand why you didn't let me see, but you were angry about it so... What?"

He was laughing now. It would be a good thing during a conversation, if Emily was telling a joke, which was not the case.

“Em, I hurt my ass. Are you sure you wanted to see it?”

_Oh._

Mike's laugh only got louder when Emily hid her face with her hands so he wouldn't see how red she was. Honestly, she wasn't sure she would have been too upset if she saw his ass. _Bad Emily. Stop it. Damn butterflies in my belly. Leave me alone._

“Y-Y-You could have told me that before the frozen peas fiasco, don’t you think? And stop laughing!”

"My bad. You look funny all red like that. But it looks really cute too! Don’t look at me that way." She cast her best murderous look in his direction, but it must not have had as much effect with that ripe tomato look she was sporting righ now. “I should have told you and not run away like that, but I was embaressed. That, combined with the frustration of having lost and the anger I was feeling at hearing you putting yourself down, ended up with me treating you very badly today. Sorry."

"You got angry?"

"I did. I just cannot get it through my head that someone doesn’t see how wonderful you are. Especially yourself. If I had the chance, I would go to your city just to teach the assholes who offended you a lesson.”

"Y-You are a dear." _Why is he like that? So kind. So cute. This makes it difficult to control the butterflies, Mike._

"No, you are. Sometimes I don't control what I say and end up offending people unintentionally. Can you help me with this? Every time I say something that might hurt someone, give me a nudge or, I don't know, a slap in the face. And, uh, if you could help me with the sword it would also be great.”

"Deal. I’ll teach you how to improve with the sword and remind you to be nice if you agree to help me with hand-to-hand combat and, well, remind me to be Emily, not Serena.”

"Agreed."

They smiled at each other and Emily vaguely thought that this was the third promise they made to each other. A few seconds later Mike stood up and held out his hand for her to do the same.

“Well Miss Em, I think it’s already quite late and good Samurai sleep early. I better go to bed. Thank you so much for listening to me vent. I needed it. Good night."

He hugged her tightly and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, before leaving the room without waiting for an answer. It was better this way. If he had stayed, he would have seen the paralyzing effect his loving gesture had on his friend, who stood in the middle of the room for a full minute, with her hand on her forehead, muttering 'good night' to herself. When she finally came out of the trance, she just managed to smile. Maybe she didn't want to control the butterflies after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
